


I asked you to dance and by chance our hands intertwined

by NilDesperandum



Category: Holby City
Genre: Angst, F/F, First Dance, First Meetings, Romance, dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 21:10:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18454694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NilDesperandum/pseuds/NilDesperandum
Summary: 'I had no clue this one dance would lead you to me.'A small little fic with snippets of Serena and Bernie dancing together. Be warned it gets a little angsty at the end...





	I asked you to dance and by chance our hands intertwined

**Author's Note:**

> The story and it's title were inspired by a lovely song called 'One Last Dance' by Us The Duo

Bernie still remembers the first time they danced. Through a sea of familiar faces and new acquaintances, she had spotted the one that had been drawing her attention all night. Under normal circumstances Bernie wouldn’t have dreamt of approaching but when the brunette woman locked eyes with her and gave the most heart melting smile of all time, the sheer possibility it had promised made her almost throw caution to the wind. However just as Bernie had been about to take the first steps forward, a flash of gold upon the woman’s left ring finger had dashed her hopes and she instead resigned herself to spending the rest of the evening sitting by the bar. It came as a surprise however when only a few minutes later she felt someone approach and turned to find her mystery lady standing behind her.  She held out her hand toward Bernie.

"This might be a little presumptuous of me but may I have this dance?"

"I would have said yes, but it seems you have a commitment elsewhere." Bernie's eyes flicked to the ring around the brunette’s left finger. The woman seemed to take the hint, following Bernie's gaze down to her hand.

"Oh! This…" She grappled for the ring, sliding it off of her finger to hold it up between their faces.

“Divorced 3 months ago, don’t know why I’ve kept it on to be honest. Guess I didn’t want people to ask too many questions. Though now might be as good as time as any to remove it for good.”

The woman inched forward reaching to slip the band in one of Bernie’s trouser pockets. The closer she got the more beautiful Bernie found her to be.

“You can keep a hold of it until I decide what to do with it later. So what do you say?”

The brunette wiggled her fingers, again offering her hand up to Bernie.

“Dance with me?”

Taking a deep breath, Bernie accepted the hand, following the woman to an empty space on the dance floor. Her hands were warm and steady as they started swaying and turning effortlessly to the slow beat of the music and Bernie was more than happy to follow her lead, especially when she brought them closer together. As arms came to circle around her neck, she felt the warm whispers of breath against her skin as over the noise of the music, a single sentence was uttered.

“The name is Serena by the way.”

* * *

They had chosen to hold the reception in Albie’s in the end. If they'd had it their way, they would have happily eloped their own, but they also didn't want to take away the chance for their family and friends to celebrate with them, so here they were. Two newlyweds in a bar full of mostly hospital staff, more madly in love than the day they had met. Seeing Serena just moments before they were about to say I do had been the most defining moment of Bernie’s life so far and with tears glistening in her eyes, overwhelmed by the love she felt for the woman before her, she knew they were truly meant to be.

As space was made upon the relatively small dance floor, Ric was very happy to announce that the newlyweds were about to share their first dance as a married couple and just like the day they met, Serena held out her hand to Bernie.

"May I have this dance?"

And just like the day they met, Bernie's eyes flickered down to the ring on the woman’s left hand. But as she accepted Serena's offer without hesitation, there was a huge grin on her face, this time from knowing that she had been the one to slip it on there and it would never be coming off.

As seamlessly as they always did everything together, they wrapped their arms around each other and moved slowly around on the dance floor.

Serena leaned up a little to place a gentle kiss upon her new wife’s lips.

“I guess this means you’re my forever dance partner?"

"I wouldn’t have it any other way."

There could have been a hundred people in Albie’s but in that moment there were only two.

* * *

The threat of thunderstorms and torrential downpours would have deterred most people but yet the ones that mattered most, their closest friends and family had braved the weather in order to come out and help celebrate with them anyway. Large makeshift banners reading ‘Happy Anniversary & Retirement!" adorned a couple of the walls as Serena pulled an all but willing Bernie in for a kiss and guests clinked their glasses, just like they had done at their wedding. After the speeches and everyone began to settle into their own conversations, Bernie, with her fingers intertwined with those of her wife, watched on with a feeling of wistfulness.

"I can't believe it's been ten years," she murmured.

Serena turned to look at her. “It’s actually twelve if you count before we were married."

“Well however long it’s been, they’ve been the best of years.”

“That they have darling.”

As the melodic notes of a piano began to play out across the room, it was Bernie who extended her hands out towards Serena, pulling her to her feet.

"Come on partner, let’s have this dance together."

They embraced each other as they had so many times before, moving around at their own pace before Bernie spontaneously decided to twirl Serena and dip her low into a kiss.

When they righted, they both groaned.

"Maybe we're getting too old for this," Bernie muttered.

"We'll never be too old for this as long as we’re both here to hold each other up."

* * *

It’s the middle of the night so Cameron is soon alert when he hears the sound of music playing from downstairs. He thinks it may be Serena, knows that with her ailing strength, it’s unlikely to be his mother but decides to investigate anyway in case he’s needed. It's become almost normal since he moved in to help with the care of his mother, to find Serena wondering in the darkness of the house late at night, tormented by dreams with the loss of her love.

It becomes clear as he reaches the bottom of the stairs that the music is coming from the living room and so as he glances through the door, he expects to maybe see his step-mother curled on the sofa. Instead a small lamp casts a warm, but subtle light across room and over its occupants; two women embracing as they move back and forth to music playing from a stereo upon the shelf. His mother’s frail figure, ravished by an incurable disease is evident to see but so is her happiness at being in the arms of the woman she loves.

Not wanting to intrude on a private moment, Cameron takes one last look before making his way upstairs again. Back in the living room, Serena and Bernie remain in their own world.

“Serena?” Bernie whispers while their bodies sway together.

“What is it darling?” She is trying to keep herself from crying; not knowing how many moments like this she has left with her wife.

“I never said thank you.”

“For what?”

“Asking me to dance, the first night we met.”

Serena swallows and tries to keep the tears away as they threaten to fall.

“It was the best decision I ever made.”

* * *

Serena strokes her wife’s hair and holds a frail hand within her own. Bernie struggles to keep her eyes open and her breathing has become more laboured as the hours have past.

It was nearing the end. They both knew it.

The past few months had been painful. The diagnosis hadn't really come as a surprise, they had both been medical professionals after all but it had still been difficult to hear the words that it was terminal. The one thing they had both been most thankful for, was that it hadn't taken Bernie's mind.

“Serena?”

“I’m here Bernie. You can close your eyes now, its ok.”

Serena leans across, kisses her wife softly on her forehead.

“Just know that I love you, and I always will.” Her vision becomes blurry and she takes a breath to keep the tears at bay, there will be time for them later.

Bernie opens her eyes and a groan escapes her mouth.

“Serena?” she rasped after a few attempts.

“Dance with me?”

The request makes the woman begin to shake uncontrollably as the pain overwhelms her. She lays her head on her Bernie’s chest as she tries to get herself together. She feels a hand weakly squeezing her own. Serena lifts up her head and finds herself nodding at her wife.

"One last dance," she whispers.

Serena slides her arms under Bernie’s body and begins to lift her up so as to rest within her arms. Bernie is so thin it doesn’t take much effort on her part.

In the middle of the bedroom, where they had spent countless nights together, Serena holds her wife and gently moves back in forth to imaginary music. Bernie smiles, content that her last moments on earth will be spent with the woman she loves.


End file.
